At the Tokyo Olympics in October 1964, every event from 800m to the marathon was a classic. That includes the only women’s distance race then available (800m) and the only two gold medals the United States has ever won in the 10,000m and 5,000m, four days apart. Fifty years on, let’s commemorate that incomparable set of Olympic races.

Wednesday, Oct. 14, 10,000m: No race has ever been so unpredictable or produced an outcome so utterly unlikely. The world-record holder, Ron Clarke (Australia), should have cruised in his majestic way ahead of such greats as Pyotr Bolotnikov (USSR), Ron Hill (Great Britain) and Bruce Kidd (Canada). But at the bell, Clarke was scrambling for space among a clutter of lapped runners, harried by two little-known but tenacious challengers, Mohamed Gammoudi (Tunisia) and Billy Mills (USA), both running 40 seconds faster than they ever had before. Clarke and Gammoudi shoved, jostled and surged, but suddenly, incredibly, out of the melee charged Mills—the outrageous outsider, the part-Native American, the crewcut Marine—in the blue of USA, knees pumping, arms aloft as he hit the tape. American running would never be the same.

Friday, Oct. 16, 800m: With 300m to go, defending champion and world-record holder Peter Snell (New Zealand) was hopelessly jammed inside the full pack led by Kenya’s feisty Wilson Kiprugut. So Snell slowed, dropped to the back, swung out and began to sprint. Snell at half-power could look ponderous, but at full stride he was a thing of potent beauty. It was like a jet taking off. He won by 4 yards, 0.5 seconds, in 1:45.1—history’s second-fastest time, despite that stutter on the back straight. Bill Crothers (Canada) was second, and Kiprugut, in third, won Kenya’s first Olympic medal. USA’s Tom Farrell improved by 0.9 seconds to take fifth in 1:46.6, ahead of teammate Jerry Siebert, sixth.

Saturday, Oct. 17, 3,000m steeplechase: This time the world-record holder was infallible. Gaston Roelants (Belgium) gave a lesson in perfect pace, craft and solo dominance, ending only 1.1 seconds outside his world mark with 8:30.8. George Young (USA) was fifth.

Sunday, Oct. 18, 5,000m: Bob Schul’s last 300m gave him America’s second long-distance gold medal and a lasting place in Olympic history. Schul recalls, "Coming to the bell, nine of us together, I make my only mistake. Jazy's ready to attack, I'm on the edge of lane one, Jazy takes off, like a rocket, but just then Dutov and Keino move outside me, and I'm blocked all round the first bend, I can't push out, so I keep kind of edging out. Jazy's gone, 20 yards up as he hits the backstretch. It's 300 to go, just into the backstretch, now I get space and switch to my 'sprint style.' When I get free, it's as if exhilaration comes over me—now I can run!" Read the full story of Schul's victory, training and subsequent life in the December issue of Running Times, on newsstands November 12.

Tuesday, Oct. 20, women’s 800m: From 1928 to 1960, it was claimed the 800m was too demanding for women. No such prejudice could survive the smooth, stylish acceleration of Ann Packer (Great Britain), who surged from seventh to first with 70 yards to go and won by 5 yards, in a world-record 2:01.1. Already a silver medalist at 400m, she chose the perfect moment to tap into her speed. “I was thinking about my fiancé (Britain’s team captain, Robbie Brightwell), not about myself, so I wasn’t nervous,” was Packer’s modest explanation. They celebrate their golden wedding anniversary this December.

Wednesday, Oct. 21, 1500m: Snell completed the only 800m/ 1500m double since 1920. “This is not a man, this is a god!” cried one journalist, as the pulsating New Zealander imposed sheer mastery over the best field in history. Despite six races in eight days, he won calmly by 1.5 seconds, in 3:38.1. The next five dipped and dived across within 0.7 seconds, including Dyrol Burleson (USA), fifth in 3:40.0.

Wednesday, Oct. 21, marathon: Abebe Bikila (Ethiopia) ran with serene confidence, shrugging off impetuous challengers and assuming total control at 15 miles. He won, in a world-record 2:12:11, by more than 4 minutes. Buddy Edelen (USA), who had a faster time than Bikila prior to the race, struggled courageously against injury to finish sixth. Bikila’s impeccable performance made a perfect final curtain. Or if you prefer comedy, the ending came when the medal ceremony band failed to find the Ethiopian national anthem and played Japan’s instead.